Managing the Medically Complex Patient: Risk Assessment and Information Gathering

Primary care dentists are providing dental care for an increasingly medically complex cohort of patients. The ability to understand medical histories, how and when to get further information, and then to be able to risk assess the information is paramount to providing safe and effective dental care. The success of modern medicine combined with a population who are retaining their teeth and choosing to have ever more complex dentistry, means that primary care dentists are facing challenges not seen previously. This article seeks to inform the reader of the importance of risk assessment and how to gather information pertinent to delivering safe dental treatment to a cohort of medically complex patients.